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El Junco Lagoon

Isla San Cristóbal (Chatham)


Around 10km east of El Progreso along the main road, you'll find El Junco Lagoon – a freshwater lake some 700m above sea level. It’s one of the few permanent freshwater bodies in the Galápagos. Here you can see frigate birds shower in the freshwater to remove salt from their feathers; white-cheeked pintails and common gallinules; and the typical highland miconia vegetation and endemic tree ferns. The weather is often misty or rainy. A return taxi costs around $30.


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